DISTRIBUTION:

Gynanisa thiryi (forewing length: males: 62-69mm; females: 62-66mm / wingspan: males: ??; females: 116mm) flies in Africa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Shaba, Kipopo (Elizabethville), Lubumbashi, Kasumbalesa, Kibomboma, Luina. Because of its presence in Sakania, DRC and other towns in southern DRC very close to border with northwestern Zambia, I feel it is also likely found in north western Zambia, probably in both Northwestern and Copperbelt, and also likely in Luapula and Central.

I have very little information about many of the African species. Distribution/range, flight times, images, etc., would be greatly appreciated.

Send info and/or pictures to oehlkew@islandtelecom.com. Every little bit helps!

This moth is very similar to G. ata. G. thiryi is quite grey and the outer margin of each wing is very dentate. Note the relatively wide median field, and the strong outward turn of the forewing pm line and subterminal lines as they meet the inner margin. On the hindwing those same lines turn strongly downward as they meet the inner margin. I find these characters in no other Gynanisa from the area. Bill Oehlke

Gynanisa thiryi pair

Gynanisa thiryi male, Sakania, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
September 21, 2014, courtesy of Nigel Voaden, id by Bill Oehlke.

Gynanisa thiryi male, Sakania, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
January 24, 2014, courtesy of Nigel Voaden, very tentative id by Bill Oehlke.

FLIGHT TIMES AND PREFERRED FOOD PLANTS:

This moth is probably on the wing from September/October to December-January??

Gynanisa thiryi larvae probably feed upon Khaya nyasica, Brachystegia venosa, Acacia, and Julbernardia.

ECLOSION, SCENTING AND MATING:

Eclosion is from a subterranean pupa. Males fly around midnight, the calling time of females.

Gynanisa thiryi female, Elizabethville, Dem. Rep. Congo: Katanga: Kipopo (Elizabethville)
Lepidoptera Types of the Royal Museum for Central Africa

EGGS, LARVAE AND PUPAE:

The pronunciation of scientific names is troublesome for many. The "suggestion" at the top of the page is merely a suggestion. It is based on commonly accepted English pronunciation of Greek names and/or some fairly well accepted "rules" for latinized scientific names.

The suggested pronunciations, on this page and on other pages, are primarily put forward to assist those who hear with internal ears as they read.

There are many collectors from different countries whose intonations and accents would be different.

I do not know the source of Gynanisa, but it probaly comes from some combination of the following: "gyn" is a Latin prefix for woman. The Arabic "Anisa" (ah-NEE-sah) means "friendly, congenial." The Hindi "Anisha" means "end of night." Since "maja" is a common Hindi word, as are ata and jama, two other species in the genus, I suspect there is a link in their choices even though the species were determined in 1936 (maja), 1911 (ata) and 1915 (jama). The females of this species call around midnight, technically the end of the night, the beginning of a new day.

The species name thiryi is "for the Belgian Joseph Thiry, school teacher (In Africa, R.D. Congo and Burundi) retired. He is responsible for the origin of the interest for entomology for some of the actual specialists in Belgium. He collected many groups of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera." (quote from Thierry Bouyer)

It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.

Acacia Brachystegia venosa..... Julbernardia Khaya nyasica

Acacia Msasa Mnondo Nyasaland mahogany

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